Write Us!We welcome your comments and give each one attention and serious consideration. Send them to
or fill out a Customer Comment form in the Owner Resources area. Each month a small selection is printed in the Reader. The rest can be found in the commons or in the binder near Customer Service. Thank you!

Write Us!We welcome your comments and give each one attention and serious consideration. Send them to
or fill out a Customer Comment form in the Owner Resources area. Each month a small selection is printed in the Reader. The rest can be found in the commons or in the binder near Customer Service. Thank you!

Great articleQ: Writing to tell Martha and the editor how much I enjoyed the article about European-style shopping. That is what I am doing now and I love it.

A: Thank you so much for the great feedback. We’re really happy to have Martha Claassen contributing to the Reader. All the best, Liz Wermcrantz, Editor

A healthy mixQ: I just want to thank the deli person who had the great idea of mixing vegetarian chili with brown rice. It was excellent and healthy. Thanks.

Local tomatoesQ: I have seen numerous other customer comments about local produce. The standard Co-op response says that the Co-op wants organic not local. This is not your choice—it’s the choice of the Owners—just like meat! I am now going to Jenny St. to buy local tomatoes not crappy tomatoes from Mexico!

A: You’re correct that the choice is not ours, which is why we rely on survey results and feedback like yours to help define Owner’s values.

We almost always offer a local option: either local organic, or local conventional. In the early fall as local field grown supplies are winding down, we are also offering organic Mexican product to ensure we have product on the shelf. –Andy Johnston, Produce Manager–East

Onion problemsQ: The Co-op’s organic red and organic yellow onions usually look perfect on the outside, but when cut often have rotten layers between good ones. My bet is that they’ve been inadvertently contaminated by GMO onions grown nearby. The organic white ones are fine.

A: Thanks for the heads up! We’ll inform our receivers of the problem in an effort to narrow down the source. We currently have several local sources for both of the onions in question! Customer Service can provide a refund for the poor quality product. Sorry for the inconvenience! –Andy Johnston, Produce Manager–East

Charging stationsQ: What is the point of have an electric vehicle charger if that spot is always taken by a gasoline-powered car?

A: We’re working with MG&E to add some language for the sign requesting non-charging vehicles to use other open spots first when they are available. It’s just become a situation to manage in the last few months, while we’ve had the charger for nearly three years. That seems like it’s a good problem to have, and that charging demand is growing. Thanks for writing. –Wynston Estis, Operations Manager

Pretty & pleasantQ: Thank you for making the outdoor seating area so pretty and a pleasant place to sit and enjoy this gorgeous fall weather.

A: Thank you for letting us know you appreciate the furnishings. I think the gourds and mums for decoration really set everything off in a fantastic way. Cheers, Wynston Estis, Operations Manager

Natural flavorsQ: Many products contain “natural flavors” in the store, including some of the store’s own baked items. By law, aspartame, MSG, GMO and essentially anything that can be cooked up in a lab (called a “flavor house!”) can be called a natural flavor. I called Yogi Teas about it (many of their teas contain natural flavors) and they confirmed this as did Santa Cruz juices. Some products have organic ingredients and appear organic, but are tainted with natural flavors. I have a chemist friend who used to work at a “flavor house” (a.k.a. lab) that contrives natural flavors and he said that many were so toxic that gloves had to be used. There is no way of finding out what is in natural flavors as they are proprietary. I was denied ingredient information (Yogi Teas). This crap needs to taken off the shelves.

A: Thank you! We are continually striving to find better options, but you’re correct—natural flavors don’t have much credibility and I agree that they should be communicated about with transparency. Your comment is duly noted. –Lynn Olson, Director of Cooperative Services

Price issuesQ: I am APPALLED at your high prices. How about carrying some cheap staples in the produce section?

A: Why don’t you give me a call so I could get the specifics of what you’d like to see? We do our best to offer products that meet our Owners’ values, and rely on surveys and comments like yours to determine what those values are. Thanks for the comment, and I look forward to hearing from you. –Andy Johnston, Produce Manager, East

Emily Jones’ article about winter veggies hits the mark for me and I am sure many other produce fans, as well. While I love veggies all the year through, I especially love and thoroughly enjoy winter squash and the selection of all of the other winter veggies this time of year—Autumn is my most favorite season of the harvest. I also found her evolution from Hawaii to Up Nort’ really interesting and enjoyable. I have been a lifelong WI resident and plan to stay ‘til my last roasted sweet potato thrills my tastebuds. And thanks, Emily, for the suggestions on ways to try/incorporate winter veggies into our menus. I have never liked red beets (yeah, I know, it is probably because as a kid my mom stood over me while I choked them down!), but, 2013 is a new year and a new list of things to do will include roasted beets, I just have to be open about them, right?

A: Thank you so much for writing! I’m so glad you liked the article. We’re very happy to have Emily contributing to the Reader. I’ll pass along your comments. I’m sure they’ll make her day as they did mine. Take care, Liz Wermcrantz, Editor